China recovers orbital rocket stage with net-capture system in South China Sea
China achieves historic breakthrough in reusable rockets as Long March 10B booster lands on sea platform
China has successfully recovered the first stage of an orbital rocket for the first time, marking a decisive step toward reusable launch systems and narrowing the gap with U.S. leader SpaceX. On Friday at 12:15 local time (04:15 GMT), the Long March 10B lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Hainan Island, carrying a satellite into low Earth orbit. Approximately six minutes after stage separation, the 16-metric-ton booster executed a controlled vertical descent and was captured by a net mounted on a floating platform in the South China Sea, state media reported.
The recovery was achieved using a net-and-hook system deployed by the salvage vessel *Linghangzhe* (“Pathfinder”), which tracked the descending stage and adjusted its position in real time. Four landing hooks on the booster engaged the net’s tensioned cables, securing the vehicle for transport back to port. Chinese officials hailed the operation as a “significant breakthrough,” noting that it represents the world’s first successful net-based recovery of an orbital-class rocket stage .
The milestone places China alongside the United States as only the second nation to demonstrate reliable booster recovery technology. While SpaceX’s [Falcon 9](en.wikipedia.org) has achieved more than 150 launches with stages reused dozens of times, China’s approach differs fundamentally: instead of landing on deployable legs or a drone ship, the Long March 10B relies on the net-capture method, which reduces structural mass and increases payload capacity. The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), the state-owned prime contractor, designed the rocket for commercial missions and has compared its 16-ton low-Earth-orbit capacity to that of the Falcon 9 .
This is China’s third attempt to recover a Long March 10B first stage. Two earlier flights in 2025 ended in failure, underscoring the technical difficulty of the maneuver. State broadcaster CCTV reported that the recovered booster will undergo inspection and refurbishment, with plans to relaunch it before the end of 2026—a test that, if successful, would prove China’s ability to reuse rocket hardware, not merely retrieve it .
The breakthrough aligns with China’s current Five-Year Plan, which explicitly prioritizes reusable launch systems to cut the cost of satellite deployment and deep-space missions. Shares in state-linked aerospace firms surged following the announcement, with China Spacesat and China Satellite Communications each rising by the daily 10% limit permitted under domestic trading rules .
Analysts caution that SpaceX maintains a substantial lead in operational experience and flight cadence, with Falcon 9 stages routinely flying multiple times per month. Blue Origin’s New Glenn, which completed its first recovery test in November 2025, also uses a landing platform rather than a net. Yet China’s achievement signals a strategic shift: by combining indigenous innovation with centralized state planning, Beijing is rapidly closing the capability gap in a sector long dominated by American private enterprise .
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China just caught a rocket in a net, and SpaceX should be watching SpaceX lands its rockets on legs. Blue Origin uses a platform. China just caught one in a giant net. China has recovered the first stage of an orbital rocket for the first time. The milestone pulls it into a club with only two other members. On Friday, the booster of a Long March-10B lifted off […] This story continues at The Next Web
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